VVHat? is Presbytery become a faction, will nothing satisfie them but a factious usurpt interest of will and power: Boundlesly, and unsatiably to tyran­nize over the Consciences of conscientious men: will they never leave bawling, unlesse all interests bow down, and be made subordinate to their interest: now we see, and all rationall men may see (that are not resolvedly blind) what kind of Presbytery that is, which hath been so vigorously contended for this many years, viz. meerely a domineering Interest over their Brethren, and to be Lords over Gods heritage: now their undermining subtilty is unmasked, and that mystery of iniquity is discovered: and Antichrist in the forme and shape of Presbytery must not think to deceive the Nations any more, and although Antichrist hath more beguiling tricks then one: yet that man of sin must be revealed, whom God will destroy with the spirit of his mouth. 2 Thes. 2.7.8. he can turn Prelate, and Presbyter, and Roya­list; conforme to any shape, and every forme wherein he can most cun­ningly and plausibly deceive the Nations: But who would have thought that they would have turned absolute imposters, professed Royalists, and imbraced and shooke hands with such horrible and de­testable Apostacy: (O base principles) can you at pleasure, renounce and perfideously desert that ancient just cause wherein you seemed to engage in, with all the godly party in the Kingdom 7. years agone, and ever since: can you without difficulty teare, rack, and wrend such publique principles of justice, freedom, and common safety, (and as, if this were not enough:) But you must most irrationally lay aside and [Page 2]forget all the limits and bounds of moderation: you must make it your only businesse (contrary to the Gospel) both in Presses and Pulpits, inveterately to rayle and envy against a succesfull, faithfull Army: meerely and alone for proceeding in, and pursuance of those very principles of justice, freedom, and common safety, in which you formerly engaged, though now apostatized: though in your letter to the Lord Gen. and generall Councel, you with brazen faces professe you adhere to the ancient just cause, and you are the same men still, and own the same principles you ever owned, (I wonder you are not ashamed of this dissembling:) give me leave to make use of your own phrase: (be not you deceived, for God is not mocked;) and though you turn with the times, and change your principles for the advantage of the corrupt interests: yet God laughs you to scorn, (looke to it,) God from Heaven will so transact and regulate different mutable things, as that your inveteracy, and apostacy, shall manifestly appear to all the world: whereby unvindicable Infamy will unavoydably rest upon you to posterity.

Do but see a little your corrupt partiall dealing; you perfideously connive and wink at that in your selves: which is the alone marke you shoote at in the Army, and others who are the objects of your invi­teracy.

1. You rayle against them for usurping that which is not proper to them, and upon this account, all the Presbyterian Pulpits in the City must ring of them, as a seditious, factious Generation, and all the week long is little enough to study and knock your heads together: to bawle and mouth at them, with all the calumnies that can be inven­ted the next Lords day: But I pray beare with me a little.

Adhere a little to this assertion: you call them usurpers, but I pray pull the beame out of your own eye, for it makes you judge partially and blindly: I think it would not be absurdity, or rudenesse, to call you the most ambitious usurpers in all the world; for suppose them to be usurpers, as you call them; yet they usurpe nothing but what is proper to men (though we deny this to your face:) But you must usurpe and appropriate no lesse then the alone proper prerogative of Christ, (viz.) to be law givers to the Church, and to be Lords over Gods heritage: as if Christ were not as faithfull in all his house as Moses: Heb. 3.5. But through forgetfulnesse must leave his instituti­ons, so lame and imperfect as must needes stand in need of some addi­tion, [Page 3]or detraction from men: what may demonstrate you to be a faction, and what may illustrate your unparelleld usurpation, if this may not, nay, if this doth not.

2. You say they delight to rule, and will make all things subordi­nate to them and their Interest: (surely you do but forget yourselves) you suppose that to be in them, which is alone in yourselves: you can­not abide to set the saddle upon the right horse, I must tell you, its a principle which they abhor; but a principle which you own & contend for, & it hath been your pulpit work for this many years together, to make all persons, and Interests, stoope and couch to your Interest, and yet you call that preaching of the Gospel, when presumptuously you preach onely in pursuance of your own Interests, and how long have you desired and wayted for that day, and for that power, where­by you might be whipping men into a subjection and subordination to your corrupt principles, Directories, and Doctrines; though never so opposite to the tenour and substance of the word of truth, and to the primitive institutions of Christ; for the truth of this, let your con­stant actions witnesse, and rationall men judge.

3. You go further, and cry out they act confusedly and irregular; but if you consider this well, you may very well hold your tongues: we need no other weapons to beat you then your own, is it not your own corrupt method, are you not alwayes splitting yourselves upon this rock of irregularity and confusion: will you believe it when you fee it? You call yourselves ministers of Christ, and of the Gospel: (which I professe, all things considered, is very questionable.) But if you are so, why do you not preach the Gospel which is your own proper and alone work, and aquiesse within the compasse of your own spheare and station, and not in the same breath quite exceed your bounds, and turn Statesmen: Nay, and which is worse, to take the fish­womens trade out of their hands: (give me leave) are these the quali­fications of Ministers of the new Testament: to envie, rayle, and scold, as if you had served 7. years Apprentiship at Billings-gate; is this to preach the Gospel, to divulge your own corrupt fancies, and your own humane inventions, and make hodge podge of the Gospel: you are in your Element, when you are jumbling and confounding multi­tudes of distinct things of a retrogade nature into one bundle, and that Sermon is not accounted a Sermon amongst you: wherein you do not most inviterately bespatter, and throw dirt in the faces of [Page 4]them that are honester then yourselves: either you must be bawling against Sectaries, or mouthing at the Army, or envying against the Parliament in its present form and constitution, and yet this you do ambitiously and falsly call preaching of the Gospel: (what blind do­ings are these:) do not you hereby make the Doctrine of the Gospel a Doctrine of division, a Doctrine of sedition and faction, a Doctrine of confusion: and how do you rack and wrest the infallible Scripture to the confused factious interpretations and expositions, and falsly you can render politicall expositions of spirituall Scriptures: if you must needes turn Statesmen, one would suppose it most proper for you, when you are out of your Pulpits: and not so irregularly make your Pulpits Chayres of State, and so confusedly jumble naturall, civill, po­liticall, military and spirituall things together: this hath been too to much your Antichristian method, and if impudence did not hinder, you might be ashamed and blush at the thoughts of such prevarica­ting: if this be regular, what is irregular, if this be order, what is con­fusion, forbear least it prove your confusion.

Another object of your Inveteracy, are a Company of godly Con­scientious men, whom you brand erronious and Hereticks: who do by that which you call Heresie, in the sincerity & integrity of their hearts, worship the God of their Fathers, Act. 24.14. But the People are so ha­bituated to your perverse Doctrines, which you doe so frequently sow amongst them; that all is taken for currant error & heresie; and on the contrary, for undoubted infallible truth that you set your stampe up­on, be it never so scandalous and false. But if we come maturely and rationally, to examine what that is you call Error, and what that is you call Heresie, and what that is you call Schisme. Its all, and onely, such persons, and doctrines, that crosse your usurpt factious Interest of will and power; that refuse subordination to your Government and Scepter; and from this rotten Principle radically flowes, all that inveterate railing, scandalous abominating, most intollerable backbi­ting, and mischievous bespattering of men, whom their Consciences cannot but be (yea and are) convinc't, they are conscientious godly men.

But because they obstruct and stop the current and streame of their premised factious Interest, meerely upon this very accompt, almost all the Pulpits in City and Kingdome must ring of them: O they are a seditious people, not worthy to live; they are the alone trou­blers [Page 5]of our Israel, and never expect Peace while these Sectaries have a being amongst us; (and just like the Pharisees) If we let this man (or these men) alone, all the world will beleeve on them, Joh. 11.48. And our trade that hath formerly bin the best trade in the Kingdom (viz. Preaching) that is like to be engrossed from us; and conse­quently, our honour, and esteeme, and eminency in the world, that decreases also; and our power, and interest, that will be troden under foot; and therefore our best way is to doe, as the Pope alwaies doth; Vote godly men to be devillish, and then set the dogges on them; and the wild Beares and Tygers of the earth must be anima­ted and encouraged to teare them in peeces; and if we can get but a Pattent to Monopolize this trade, and to Monopolize the Gospel in­to our owne hands, then we shall be well enough; Is not this your method.

For this is that which perplexes these men, to see other men, whom they ambitiously call Mechanicks and Lay-men; to sell, or preach the Gopel at an under rate; because they doe not preach for hire, as they doe; and preach for Honour and a reward as they doe; this makes them ready to gnaw their tongues for paine, and yet they think they cannot tumble out their venomes fast enough; but raile on them, almost till they foame at the mouth; and in the midst of this, are like a Fish in the water, in their desired element; they are so uni­ted and habituated to this frame and forme, of Pulpit cavelling, and Pulpit inveighing, that I am Confident, were it possible, they could preach whiles dooms day, they would never forget this perverse trade; and the reason is, because they have so little reason, that they are en­forst to make it up with passion: but what Gospel is this, to patch up Sermons out of such a detestable lust, as passion is, and fill the peo­ples eares with such rayling ruffish.

But if you were taught of God, and if you learnt the truth as it is in Jesus, you would comfortably and freely acquiesce in the declaration of this truth; for this is the Gospel method, and if you are Ministers thereof, this is your alone worke, (viz.) to preach the truth: and consequently, error and delusion will fall to the ground. Never thinke to scatter and destroy error, by your irregular and perverse jumbling, and inveighing against it: in so doing what doe you lesse then delude the people; and like the Priests of olde, you cause the people to erre, Micha 3.5. For I hope you are not so ambitious to [Page 6]think that you are the only infallible Judges of truth: but you may, (you do) erre as well as others; and therefore, whilst you persist in this confusion, you are so farre from convincing men of error, that you confirme them therein. Man is a rationall creature, and error where it is, it lies in the understanding; and therefore its onely rea­son, concurring with the power of truth, can enlighten the understan­ding, and convince the person so erring. Error is no otherwise but a mistake in the judgement, and the judgement must be satisfied and convinc't, before error can be subdued, this is undeniable; the con­science that will adhere to what the judgment beleeves. Must you go whip the conscience, now this is according to the rule of your invention: Not according to the infallible rule of Scripture. The Lord make the people of this Kingdome wiser then their Tea­chers.

But now a few words touching your Apostacy: Beare with my Pen a little, for its no absurdity to call it so. You are turn'd profes­sed Royallists, and you are interwoven into the Kings principles; in­somuch that now the Kings designe is your designe, and your Pul­pit worke is to propagate the Kings Interest, though retrograde and destructive to the publicke interest: & you could own that perfidious treacherous treaty, & adhere to Malignants in their engagements, & pray devoutly for the restoring the King to his Crown, Scepter, and Dignity. (What is Presbytery Kingified now:) can you with the face of reason, or Christianity, attempt or presume to appear for the Kings interest. But truly, all things considered, we need not wonder at it: for Ecclesiasticall Interest and Monarchicall Interest, hath been, and must be jumbled together, as interwoven one in another: Sute­able to that Text, Revel. 17.7. The beast must beare the whore. A lively portracture of your Church. Such is your Interest, that it can­not stand unlesse upheld by the Kings of the earth; your Kingdome is of this world; Contrary to the nature of the Kingdome of Christ; and upon this account, you may well struggle and bussle for Monar­chie; because your Interest depends upon it. But one would think, you should not be so mad, and so perfidiously irrarionall, as to attempt, owne, or prosecute the destructive propagation of the corrupt Princi­ples and Interest of this King; so palpably destructive to the King­dome, and to the whole publick Interest.

I beseech you looke back a little, and take a particular survay of the [Page 9]wonderfull transacting of things, in relation to the Kings proceedings: did ever any Engage, Contrivers, contend for him, and prosper: hath God, thinke you, (I appeale to your Consciences) fought so wonderfully, so unparalleldly, so miraculously, against both foraigne, and domestick ene­mies, and blasted all Plots, Contrivances, Attempts, and Stratagems, for nothing, I say, is it for nothing, that God hath done all this.

Nay, what hath the People of England fought for this many yeares, if not for a free, and impartiall execution of Justice upon Capitall offenders, and originall Authors of all the blood, misery, and ruine of the People of this Nation: and dare you (I say, dare you) in person presse, or Pulpit attempt to stop the Current of Justice, (I wonder at your Impudence) is not Impartiall Justice, the alone sollid Foundation of all the peace, liber­ty, and freedome that can be expected?

Object. But you would have the King exempted because there is no pre­sident for the like Action, (I wonder at your weaknesse.)

Answ. This is your great Argument that makes a monster through Ci­tie and Kingdome. But, If examined, as light as vanity it selfe; (for mind) if no President can be produced, or extracted from our Ancestors. Then this Parliament hath made, and may proceed, to make a president for Posterity, upon such sollid, stable, answerable, justifiable grounds of Rea­son, Equity, Justice, and Common safety: that all the world, if they judge impartially, cannot possibly contradict: now as Presidence are not constant Rules to act by; so no former president whatsoever can bound or limit the proceedings and actions of the succeeding Generations: because presidents of necessity, may, and must differ, according to the mutable different con­ditions of times. But the reason of no president is cleare, because no King did ever Personally, or Commissionally, so perfidiously attempt the ru­ine and desolation of the publike Interest; and therefore no cause of a pre­sident of this nature. I hope gainsayers will be silent in this; for whoever deny it, must exceed the bounds of Reason, and common sence.

And whereas you falsly affirme and declare in your pernitious letter-to the Lord Gen. that its an action contrary to the Law of God and man: if you study and prevaricate while doomes day, you can never prove it: I demand, whether the Law of God, or Nations: the Law of equity, justice, and safety: do more or lesse in reference to dignity, or a title of Honour: exempt a man from deserving justice, he that sheds mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed. Gen. 9.6. now this text nor no other text hath the least limitation or restriction to the title King. But if he be a man, in­terpret as falsly as you will, or can; he is not exempted, but comes within the compasse of justice.

But when every thing desert you, then as your last support, you fly to the Covenant, and you can pull and wrack that with all the false miscon­structions that can be invented, to patch up all your weaknesse and invete­racy, and like your perfideous Scots, your dear Brethren, you can strike through the heart and bowells of the Covenant, with the Covenant in your mouthes.

But if it be demanded, why I direct my speech to Sion Colledge: its be­cause I conceive that to be the conservatory, or fountain originall from whence flowes all that rubbish, trash, and trumpery that is publiquely di­vulged in most Pulpits throughout the City, in your monthly morning Lectures, and every Lords day: though I despise not your Lectures, if either intended or acted for good.

Is this the best eggs you can hatch at your dayly and weekly meetings at SionColledge; that as the results of your pernicious Counsels, you must allot and appoint every one his work: one shall raile against the Army, another inveigh against the present forme and Constitution of the Parliament; an­other must pray and preach devoutly for restoring the King; another cry up the secluded Members. What ruffish is here to stuffe Sermons withall? have you nothing else to doe, but to poyson, pervert, distract, and disqui­et the Spirits of men, who would otherwise willingly, and freely aquiese, were they not by you inraged, incouraged, incensed, and animated against the Army and Parliament.

If you were not as blind as Beetles, you may be satisfied; that the Army in conscience could doe no lesse; unlesse they were so mad as to stand still and serve 7. or 8. years labour, travell, and hazard, so perfidiously lost: and resigne up their Liberties and Freedoms (which is the price of their blood) into the hands of theirs, and the Kingdomes thrice Conquer'd e­nemies; Its as cleare as the Sun, that the Parliament was then going about to sell them, with all the honest party in the Kingdom, into the blood and revenge of an enraged and tyrannicall King; who I am confident, would under some pretence or other, have cut the throats of all the godly in the Kingdome by thousands; and all the Liberty, Freedom, Priviledge, and pub­licke Interest, fought for eight yeares together, would have been swallow­ed up into perjury and professed tyranny; and all the circumstances, and parts of that treacherous agreement for Peace with the King, considered; compact, and patcht up together, were destructive to the publick interest; and upon this account, whether the necessity were not absolute, or else ruine unavoidable: I leave to the judgements of rationall, impartiall prin­cipled men publike. If the Army which you contemn, had not tooke more for the care then you, but derogated from their principles, as you have don, [Page]all the godly in the Kingdome might have hang'd their harps upon the Willow trees, and sought a residence in a strange Land (and get you like ungratfull wretches) now they have done the Kingdom such unparallel'd service, you could now cut their throats for their labour.

I wonder, you are not ashamed to bring such an infamy upon your Coat; are you not in a direct way, to lay a plat-forme for a new Summers bloody ruining War, do you love to fish in troubled waters, and delight to be kindling the fire of discention and discord, and perpetuall rigid opposition in the Kingdome: (looke to it) these prin­ciples are rotten principles; and unlesse you forbeare, they will make you obnoxious to the just Censures of all men: and if a third war follow, we must be necessitated to conclude from rationall grounds, that you are the fomenters and abettors thereof; and that it is the consequent of your inveterate rayling, and perverse mouthing against your Bretheren, who would willingly (if possible they can crave so mvch favour at your hands) as Free-born Subjects of England, injoy a peaceable and quiet residence amongst you. Its well such curst Cowes as you are, have short hornes; otherwise, if speciall pro­vidence did not interpose, you would teare and rack your discenting Brethren, as you have torne and rackt your own principles.

But what means your uncessant inveighing& clattering against the Parl. Some of you call them a broken Parl. others no Parl. and that Apostate Prinne calls them an unpar­liamentary Iunto. And the great reason is, because (they say) they are under a Force, and consequently, no legall Authority (Good lack, what a base pvinciple and Interest will doe.) Its high time that the Clergy should be made Judges of Parliamentary Au­thority: have they not voted themselves the supream Authority of the Kingdome, and consequently, a free Representative; and it was your own Argument not long since, that themselves were the competent sole Judges of their own Authority; and have they not joyntly approved of the reasons of the Gen. Counsell, for secluding, and se­curing some of their treacherous Members, for perfidious diserting, and betraying their trust. But because you cannot have a Negative voice, and because they proceed with­out, and against your approbation, advice, and concurrence: therfore you will dispute the legality of their authority: what perfidious (in and out, fast & loose) dealing is this?

For notwithstanding, that unparallel'd cruel violence of the riotous tumultuous Ap­prentices, upon the House, in July, 1647. forcibly keeping the Speaker in his Chaire, and putting things to the question themselves, after the House was desolved, and when after this, the Speaker, with many other faithfull Members of the House were neces­sitated to flye to the Army: In whose absence the Royall Party chose a new Speaker, and attempted (might and maine) to leavy a force against the Army, thereby engage­ing the Kingdome in blood. Notwithstanding all this, your resolved blindnesse could not own it as a force: but then they were the Parl. of England, and you could freely read, (and enforce obedience to) their destructive Ordinances for raising of Forces: and still so long as they have been your Parl. and served your Inrerest, so long, and no lon­ger [Page]have they bin the Parliament of England. You can dance no longer, then they pipe your Interest.

And you can like Royalists professe and declare in your Pulpits, against the Legal just proceedings of Parl. (I professe its insufferable) you detest the thoughts of calling the King to an account, and its unparallel'd and destructive for Protestant Kingdomes, to staine themselves with the bloud of their Kings. Nay, which is more then all; Its contrary to the subtill Nationall Covenant. Mr. Calamie, that old Conformist, will ne­ver leave turning and conforming for the best advantage of his Interest; but must divulge such nonsensicall doctrines as these, to confound the eares of his Auditory.

But in order, Its destructive and unparallel'd, to be stain'd with the bloud of Kings; but minde, its neither the one nor the other for you to be stain'd with your owne cor­rupt, factious, usurpt tyrannicall Interest: although you engage the whole Kingdom in warre and bloud to accomplish it. But what a guilt and staine it is for a Protestant Kingdome to execute Iustice: Is it not a trecherous and destructive principle, to detest the thoughts of Justice. I wish you appeare not to be (for you give us probable grounds to beleeve it,) the chiefe obstructers of Justice this 7. years together, by your Parliament whispering and insinuating, having had such an Antichristian influence upon the House.

But then you fly to the Covenant, to catch some false interpretation, the better to enforce the Kings interest, and your delight in prevaricating, & cheating the people: in taxing the Army with your own perjury for all bonds in the Covenant, (if you are not mad or blind) touching preserving the King, are only conditionall (not absolute:) But you are possitively and absolutely engaged to bring all Delinquents to condigne pu­nishment, and would it not be partiality and perjury in the highest degree, that that grand Delinquent and originall publique Author and Abettor of all our blood-shed, ruine, and misery, should be exempted, and inferiours only punished, who acted com­missionally from him, and actually for him; I am confident, you may as well remove a Mountain into the midst of the Sea, as deny it to be justice in the impartiality of it; and how hath God contmually crost, confounded, battered, and shattered to peeces all plots, contrivances, and attempts to vindicate the truth of the premises: not to be trea­cherized, and creacified into slavery (which you promoted:) but to produce a free cur­rant of impartiall Justice. The premises maturely and solidly considered: your Pulpit barking and mouthing against Parl. Army, and your Brethren: is nothing but a probable introduction, to a third bloudy War; to the great hazard (or at least much dammage) to the publique interest, and as much as possible you over shaddow and eclipse those dawnings and appearings of liberty, freedom, priviledge, and solid security to the pub­lique interest, that upon foundations of Justice and righteousnesse are (we hope) flowing in as the proper fruites of all so long fightings, waytings, and expectations.